John Lloyd: Jack Draper ‘Capable of Winning a Grand Slam’ But Injury Record Is ‘Worrying’

Jack Draper returned to competitive action at the Eastbourne International this week, defeating American Marcos Giron 6-4, 7-6(5) in the first round on Monday — his first match since retiring from the Barcelona Open on 13 April with a knee injury. The ATP 250 grass-court event serves as the Briton’s final preparation before Wimbledon, and the win was his first since reaching the quarter-finals at the Indian Wells Masters in March.

The victory came amid a troubling stretch for Draper. Despite reaching a career-high world ranking of No. 4 on 9 June 2025, the left-hander has managed only 19 matches over the past 12 injury-affected months. A bone stress injury to his left arm previously sidelined him for more than five months before he returned in February. He is currently ranked 160th in the world.

In an exclusive interview with Tennis365 at the Queen’s Club, former British No. 1 John Lloyd — who reached the final of the 1977 Australian Open and a career-high ranking of world No. 23 — offered a candid assessment of Draper’s situation.

“I feel so bad for Jack because he’s the real deal, he certainly would be if these injuries weren’t occurring,” Lloyd told Tennis365. “A fit Jack Draper is capable of winning a Slam, in my opinion. He’s already got to four in the world, and that sort of looked like it was the beginning [for him].”

However, Lloyd was measured in his optimism, pointing to the variety of physical setbacks Draper has suffered as a particular concern. “But now these injuries come up, it worries me a little bit because it seems to be various things, not just one thing,” he said. “When your body breaks down, and in this day and age, the physicality is huge. He’s a big dude. I don’t know his medical team, I’m sure he’s got the best that there is, and I’m sure they’ll find a way. But it’s a bit worrying.”

Lloyd also commented on Draper’s decision to bring Andy Murray on board as his coach for the grass-court season — a high-profile appointment that has drawn significant attention given Murray’s own storied history at Wimbledon, where he won the title in 2013 and 2016. While Lloyd endorsed the move in principle, he acknowledged the practical limitations imposed by Draper’s physical condition.

“The Andy Murray thing — that’s great to have Andy. But he can’t coach someone who’s not fit,” Lloyd said. “I think, probably, at the moment, there’s a limit to how much they can push him. I don’t know; I’m not there. But I would imagine, coming back, you can’t suddenly crank it up to the hours maybe you would like to because you’re gonna [wrap Draper in] cotton wool a little bit.”

Lloyd was complimentary of Draper’s previous coaching arrangement with Jamie Delgado while remaining upbeat about what Murray could ultimately contribute. “I think having Andy is great; Jamie Delgado before was great, but I think Andy will also be fabulous. But he has got to get well,” he added.

Draper’s ability to remain healthy through Wimbledon will be closely watched. A leading expert has also publicly questioned whether the British No. 1 can sustain the physical demands of elite tennis, adding further scrutiny to what has become a defining challenge in his career. Should Draper progress through the draw at the All England Club, it would represent his most significant grass-court run and offer the clearest evidence yet that his fitness issues may finally be behind him.